Grazing with Gary: No tricks needed for these easy Halloween treats

What a rollercoaster of weather we are on. Rain on Sunday, sun on Tuesday and temperatures from 90 to 67 is just crazy. This weekend, I'm sure there will be parties all over town for Halloween. Have you picked out your outfit yet? I think I will dress as a chef again this year, it's simple and I am busy getting ready for my driveway Halloween party for my neighbors and friends. For our first recipe this week, we have some fun pumpkin hand pies – great for everyone at your party. Second, here is a very simple idea for your handout to the neighbor kids, Oreo Mummy's. For the last recipe, we have another fun snack that is simple to make. The witch's hat calzone is simple, and you can fill it with whatever you feel like. Get creative. Happy Halloween, Trick or Treat! Jack-O-Lantern Hand Pie Ingredients · 4 sheets puff pastry · 1 cup pumpkin puree, NOT pumpkin pie filling · 1 egg + 1 egg yolk · 1/3 cup brown sugar · 2 tablespoons granulated sugar · 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice · 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract · 1/4 teaspoon salt · 1 tablespoon Half and Half Instructions 1. If frozen, set out puff pastry sheets to slightly thaw, up to 40 minutes. They should remain cold but be pliable enough to roll out. 2. Preheat oven to 400°F degrees. 3. Mix the 2 tablespoons of granulated and 1 teaspoon of the pumpkin pie spice; set aside. 4. Mix the pumpkin puree, 1 whole egg, brown sugar, 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice, vanilla, salt and Half and Half. Whisk until well combined; set aside. 5. Roll out the puff pastry sheets so they are about 13 inches long (big enough to do 3 rows of pumpkins). Use a pumpkin-shaped cookie cutter to cut the puff pastry into pumpkin shapes. Place 12 of the puff pastry pumpkins on two baking sheets lined with parchment paper. Use a small, sharp knife to cut out Jack O' Lantern faces in the remaining 12 pumpkins. Use a rolling pin and roll over each Jack O' Lantern once or twice to make it just slightly larger than the bottom pumpkin. 6. Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the pumpkin pie mixture onto the center of each pumpkin bottom. Use your finger to brush the edge of the puff pastry with water. Carefully set the Jack O' Lantern pumpkin on top, lining it up with the pumpkin on the bottom. Use your finger to gently press together the edges of the pumpkins. 7. Whisk the egg yolk with one tablespoon of water. Brush the egg wash over the tops of the pastries. Sprinkle with the sugar and spice mixture. 8. Bake for 15 minutes, until the pumpkins are puffed and golden. Mummy Oreo Cookies Ingredients · 1 14.3-ounce package Oreos · 1 12-ounce package vanilla candy melts · 1 package candy eyes Instructions 1. Spread the Oreos in an even layer on top of a wire cooling rack. 2. Melt the candy melts according to the package instructions, then pour the melted candy into a piping bag. 3. Pipe mummy bandages over the top of the Oreos with the melted candy. 4. Place two candy eyes on top of each Oreo. 5. Allow the chocolate to set before serving. Witch Hat Calzone Ingredients · ½ cup pepperoni, sliced small (an additional 10 slices to decorate the hats) · ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese · ¼ cup Parmesan cheese, grated · 4 ounces cream cheese, softened · 2 packages crescent rolls (8 ounce each package) · 1 egg, slightly beaten · 1 tablespoon water · ¾ teaspoon kosher salt · ¼ teaspoon black pepper · ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning · Marinara sauce, served warm Optional add-ins · ¼ cup sauteed peppers and onions · ½ cup cooked Italian sausage Instructions 1. Preheat the oven to 425°F. Place parchment paper or a silicone mat on a baking sheet. Cook the sausage, peppers and onions, if using. 2. Slice up ½ cup of the pepperoni into small pieces. Set it aside. Cut some extra pepperoni (about 8-10 additional slices) into fun shapes to decorate the hat (diamonds, triangles, crescent moons). Set those aside. 3. In a small bowl, combine salt, pepper and Italian seasoning. 4. Mix the softened cream cheese, mozzarella cheese, Parmesan cheese, peppers, onions, sausage, ½ cup pepperoni and a generous sprinkle of the seasoning mixture in a medium-sized bowl until combined well. 5. Unroll the crescent rolls into separate triangles. Place four of the triangles on the prepared baking sheet and set the other four to the side. (The triangles that are set aside will be the tops of the calzones.) If you have two baking sheets, put four on each sheet. If you only have one, do this with one tube of crescent rolls at a time. If the dough gets too warm, it can tear. 6. Slightly beat the egg in a small bowl. Mix in the water. Brush on the egg at the edges of the crescent rolls that are on the baking sheet. 7. Spoon out 1½ to 2 tablespoons onto the center of each crescent roll. 8. Take the other half of the crescent rolls and place each one on top of the crescent roll with the cheese mixture. 9. Gently press together at the edges to make sure the cheese mixture stays inside the crescent rolls while baking. 10.&emsp;Fold up the bottom of the crescent roll so it looks like the brim of a witch's hat. Work the tip of the hat so it looks more like a witch hat. 11.&emsp;Brush the witch hats with a little of the egg. 12.&emsp;Place a few fun-shaped pepperoni pieces onto the brim of the hat (triangles, diamonds, crescent moons). 13.&emsp;Sprinkle the seasoning mixture over the hats. 14.&emsp;Place the baking sheet in the middle of the oven and bake at 425°F for 8-10 minutes or until golden. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese (optional). 15. Serve with warm marinara sauce. (I use our favorite sauce from the grocery store and warm it up in the microwave. I place the sauce in a microwave safe bowl and heat at 15-second increments until it is warm enough.)